Plant · GBIF taxon 3173338
Butterfly bush
Buddleja davidiiAlso known as Summer Lilac, Orange Eye
Butterfly bush produces long, cone-shaped panicles of fragrant purple, pink, or white flowers that draw nectar-seeking insects from far around. Native to central and western China, this hardy deciduous shrub thrives in disturbed soils, riverbanks, and urban waste spaces across many temperate regions. While providing a rich nectar source for adult butterflies, its aggressive seed production allows it to spread rapidly and crowd out native vegetation.
FloweringOrnamentalShrub
—observations
—countries
—peak records
Least ConcernConservation statusIUCN Red List categoriesLCNTVUENCREWEXLeast ConcernRed List categories, explained →
Diet & prey
- Sunlight
- Water
- Soil Nutrients
Predators
- Spider Mites
- Mullein Moth Caterpillars
- Deer
ThreatsTargeted by weed control efforts where invasive
HabitatsDisturbed ground, urban waste areas, riverbanks, garden borders
Life span15 to 30 years
Size / weightNot available
Classification
- OrderLamiales
- FamilyScrophulariaceae
- GenusBuddleja
- SpeciesBuddleja davidii
Range data is not available yet.
Interaction riskLow
- Low
- Moderate
- High
- Very high
- Why interaction risk is low
- Safe to observe at a normal distance.
Responsible observation
- Butterfly Watching: Visit during sunny, warm afternoons when nectar production peaks and insect activity is highest.
- Garden Management: Deadhead spent flower heads before seeds mature to prevent unwanted spreading into wild spaces.
- Pruning Care: Cut stems back hard in early spring to encourage vigorous new growth and larger bloom clusters.
Pollinator (c) Gilles San Martin, some rights reserved (CC BY-SA), uploaded by Gilles San Martin · cc-by-sa
Pollinator Sid Mosdell from New Zealand / CC BY 2.0 · cc-by
Host Plant no rights reserved, uploaded by georgiasteel · cc0
Close Relative (c) Christoph Moning, some rights reserved (CC BY) · cc-by
Help improve the field guideSomething wrong?
Checking your Fauna account…Report a name, category, or profile issue for review.